With five great panel shows on the agenda in this article, there’s no telling just which one will take out the award when the TV Boxies are presented.
The TV Boxies will be live on November 28, and you can have your say in 21 of the 22 categories up for an award.
We’ve talked about Most Popular Australian Drama and Most Popular Comedy Program, but we’re turning to the panel programming and the five finalists in contention for the coveted, inaugural Most Popular Panel Show TV Boxie.
MOST POPULAR PANEL SHOW FINALISTS
THE PROJECT (10)
When it debuted in 2009, The Project looked quite different than it has today, in fact, it was under a slightly altered name. In 2021 however, it’s still a staple to 10’s programming and so too are the faces behind the desk, namely Carrie Bickmore, Waleed Aly and Peter Helliar.
Known as the show that presents, ‘news, a little differently’, Friday and Sunday programming see Lisa Wilkinson, Tommy Little, Hamish MacDonald, and until MacDonald’s return, Peter van Onselen host the program. Rotating panelists include Susie Youssef, Steve Price and Kate Langbroek.
The Project has won three silver Logie awards in the ‘Panel’ category before, as recently as 2019. Bickmore and Aly have also won both a ‘Presenter’ Logie and a Gold Logie in 2015 and 2016, respectively.
Despite declining ratings this year, the show still chalks up a nomination in one of its best performing categories for award shows, and may also pick up a TV Boxie.
INSIDERS (ABC)
Originally at the helm was Barrie Cassidy, but in 2020, David Speers took over this Sunday morning panel program that discusses the political issues of the week before.
Three political analysts and commentators join Speers in studio every week, in a show that prides itself as, “the program the politicians rely on to find out what’s going on”.
With an over 20-year history, Insiders isn’t a surprising nod as one of the five finalists in this category. But with Speers’ run as host yet to be tried and tested at the Logies, the show’s award success with him leading the program may begin at the TV Boxies.
Q+A (ABC)
After moving back to its original programming night of Thursday, Q+A brings together five panelists in front of a live in-studio audience, who discuss and question the panelists on the topic of the week.
Hamish MacDonald took over as host from the show’s first, Tony Jones, in 2020. But MacDonald left the program after a barrage of social media abuse sent his way, and the hosting spot has since been rotated between Stan Grant, David Speers and Virginia Trioli.
Despite being one of the most audience-inclusive panel shows out there, and certainly in this category, Q+A has never been acknowledged with an award, and may make history at the TV Boxies.
GRUEN (ABC)
With a step off the gas from politics like what’s regularly featured in the three shows prior, Gruen is all about advertising and is in its 13th season since beginning in 2008.
Hosted by Wil Anderson, the Gruen team (which includes regular panelists Todd Sampson and Russel Howcroft) decode and expose all the messaging we fall for. Whether it’s a juice label that thinks it’s your long lost best friend or a gorgeous white line design on a Kmart plate, nothing will escape the Gruen gaze.
TV Blackbox previously broke the news the show would return in 2022, that’s even as Anderson picked up hosting duties of a new series about misinformation, Question Everything.
In an interview with Mediaweek ahead of this year’s season premiere, Anderson said, “In the first few seasons of the show we were just talking about TV ads… and now we live in a world where algorithms mean we view ads that are perfectly targeted to our wants, needs, and desires”.
THE FRONT BAR (Seven)
This isn’t the only category The Front Bar is featured in among the TV Boxies categories, but the Australian Football League-based panel show is wildly popular with fans for its comedic charm during the AFL season.
Fronting the show are Andy Maher, Mick Molloy and Sam Pang, who’s collective chemistry was described by The West Australian’s Jenna Clarke as having, “a connection not seen since Roy and HG”.
In 2020, radio legend and comedian Andy Lee was brought in as a semi-regular panelist at the bar.
Proving a hit for Seven by mixing comedy with Australian sport, The Front Bar has been a welcome treat during the pandemic, and may be a good bet to take home the Panel TV Boxie.
That’s the five finalists chosen by you for the Most Popular Panel Show category at the TV Boxies, so be sure to cast your entire 21 votes below. The TV Boxies will be presented on November 28.
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